Replacement Roof on National Trust's Hanbury Hall

When the National Trust had to replace the entire roof at Hanbury Hall in Worcestershire, choosing the right temporary roof to protect the irreplaceable contents of the building was vital. The Hall's Grade 1 Listed status ruled out many conventional scaffolding techniques but HAKI and Attridge Scaffolding had the ideal solution.

Replacing the entire roof meant replacing 19,750 tiles and 33 tonnes of lead, a project that would take months and which would inevitably involve working through the worst of winter weather as well as requiring minimal disruption to visitor traffic to the house.

Although the roof had to be built in situ, without the usual pre-assembly or cranes to lift it into position, it was still erected in less than ten working days. The roof's flexible design enabled it to pass either side of the Hall's central cupola, while still reducing the materials and labour time required. The final challenge was fixing the sheeting into place. The normal process of providing a roll on roof was not an option but the unique counter-tensioned seals on the HAKITEC 750 enabled the fabric to be butted up and in-fitted, producing a truly weathertight seal.

As James Attridge of JFE Attridge explains: "It was not only the HAKITEC product but also HAKI's commitment to customer support which meant that the solutions to the unique problems posed by the Hanbury Hall project were both effective and trouble-free."

The primary objective of the temporary roof at Hanbury Hall was achieved, enabling work to continue uninterrupted through the worst of the British weather conditions. Unencumbered by the confusion of beams which are a feature of many temporary roofs, the National Trust, working with the main contractor, installed a viewing platform beneath the HAKITEC 750 roof and above the renovation work. Reached by a 60 step HAKI Stairtower open to the public, the viewing platform provided an uninterrupted view of the renovation work and proved a huge success with visitors to the Hall. It turned what may have been regarded as deterrent to visitors into a real visitor attraction.

Major Benefits

Offset beam and track joints ensure a robust and watertight seal.

The sturdy, yet remarkably open superstructure, enabled a viewing platform to be erected so that visitors to the N.T. house could see the work in progress.

Sheeting allowed 70% of natural light through and created a good work environment.

Designed and constructed to TG9 guidelines as it was erected using the roll out method.